By Nick Powell, Online Editor
England…………………….31
Tries: Willis 13, Chessum 28, George 37, Penalty 50, Arundell 72
Conversions: Farrell 14, 29
Italy………………………..14
Tries: Riccioni 44, Fusco 64
Conversions: Allan 45, 65
England produced a much improved performance as they climbed to third in the Six Nations table with a five-try victory over an ill-disciplined, disappointing Italy.
The hosts had opened up a 19-point advantage at the break as Jack Willis, Ollie Chessum and Jamie George all went over from short range.
Italy hit back early in the second-half through Marco Riccioni, but a penalty try secured England's win and the bonus point for four tries.
The last half hour was messy and sloppy, and England failed to pull away as the sides exchanged tries with Alessandro Fusco getting a second for the Azzurri and Henry Arundell scoring the pick of England's scores, but the hosts could walk off the field happy with their work.
England captain Owen Farrell said: “I think in terms of the performance it felt better than last week. A step forward as it would be a week further on in our new journey.”
“There's obviously still a lot to get better at but we feel it's a step in the right direction. We're trying to build a togetherness and fight for each other on the pitch for 80 minutes and I think you've seen that in the past two games.”
Fundamentals to the fore as England dominate first half
As they did last week, England dominated possession in the early stages but they crucially got the first score in the game, something they had failed to do against Scotland.
Willis crashed over after smartly peeling away from the back of a maul, and unlike their two first-half tries last time out, fly-half Farrell added the conversion to give them a seven-point lead just shy of the quarter-of-an-hour mark.
Italy responded well with a long spell of attacking play, but England's scrum dominance, which increasingly became a theme for the first-half, helped them get out of their territory and return the play to the middle third of the field.
Disciplined defence has been a crucial fundamental that England have missed prior to the arrival of Borthwick, and an excellent Willis turnover, coming after a second long spell that saw Italy's attack going nowhere, set up the opportunity for another drive.
In contrast the Italians, who had benefitted from some poor French discipline in their near-victory against Les Bleus last week, gave away eight penalties in the first half hour, and that was the shirt number of the man who eventually went to the bin as Lorenzo Cannone was given a yellow card.
It wasn't long after that Chessum added a second score as he drove through a gap from close range, and with England having plenty of time left in the sin-bin period they looked hungry for more.
They had to wait until the very end of the ten-minute slot to get their next try as George rumbled over, although a much more entertaining score was ruled out after Max Malins burst through before handing a simple finish to Jack van Poortvliet before it was unfortunately, but correctly, ruled out as Ollie Lawrence had accidentally impeded Manuel Zuliani.
Farrell missed the kick, and a chance for a bonus point score as he fumbled after a smart kick through by van Poortvliet, but he led his troops off the field with a 19-0 buffer that had been built on massive improvements in the fundamentals of the game.
Italians improve but England coast home in the end
Italy desperately needed a response and it came less than three minutes into the second period as a much more potent spell of attacking play was quickly rewarded, with strong and bold phases leading up to prop Marco Riccioni getting his side on the board.
But the bonus point was bagged for England on the half hour, once again coming from the maul as prop Simone Ferrari brought it down and was sent to the bin, with England receiving a penalty try in addition.
Unlike the try they had scored at a similar time in the match to go 20-12 up against Scotland last week, this effectively decided the outcome of the game, but England fans would have wanted a stronger finish, and perhaps for England to show more attacking intent.
The arrival of Arundell for his Twickenham and Six Nations debut was greeted by cheers from the home fans, but with both sides scrappy in possession and the game in a lull they were growing desperate for something to shout about.
Their mood probably worsened when what appeared to be a clear pair of obstructions on Chessum and Dan Cole allowed Tommasso Menencello to coast through, and substitute scrum-half Fusco sniped for Italy's second try quickly after.
Italy felt confident and looked to have a go from deep, but Cole got some portion of revenge as he won a scrum penalty after Federico Ruzza knocked on as he broke upfield.
It gave England the field position they needed, and a dart from scum-half Alex Mitchell teed up Arundell for his maiden Six Nations try, likely to be the first of many by the end of his international career.
It was the final score of what had ultimately been a somewhat tame second half, but England could be happy with their work as they moved into the top half of the championship table.
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England: Steward; Malins, Slade, Lawrence, Hassell-Collins; Farrell (c), Van Poortvliet; Genge, George, Sinckler; Itoje, Chessum; Ludlam, Willis, Dombrandt.
Substitutes: Walker, M Vunipola, Cole, Isiekwe, Earl, Mitchell, M Smith, Arundell.
Italy: Capuozzo; Padovani, Brex, Morisi, Menoncello; Allan, Varney; Fischetti, Nicotera, Riccioni, N Cannone, Ruzza, Negri, Lamaro (c), L Cannone
Substitutes: Bigi, Zani, Ferrari, Iachizzi, Polledri, Zuliani, Fusco, Bruno
